Monday, May 28, 2007

Far be it from us Uticans to throw stones from our glass clubhouse, but it ought to be noted (without pointing to specific personalities) that a certain regional 9/11 Truth organization, operating under a grant from a state university, has installed a PayPal button on its site.

These guys need the extra money for--what? To maintain a website they update less than once a month? To buy bus tickets for field trips to Ground Zero? To further the illusion of a "grassroots effort" while they're sucking at the Ford-Rockefeller-Carnegie teat?

Tuesday, May 22, 2007

Our friend Joe DeRosa, who has been serving a life sentence since 1988, wrote the following essay in 1991. He sent it to me in 1994, and every year it seems more remarkable. Vyz was also amazed by the piece; he read it on The Grassy Knoll a couple of weeks ago. We've posted the clip HERE. Many thanks to Vyz for giving us permission to excerpt his program.

THE REALIZATION

by Joseph DeRosa

THE PRELUDE

At first, it seemed as though the American system of democracy would be successful. Throughout the mid-nineteen hundreds technological advancement--and the standard of living in the United States--soared to its highest levels. The people beamed with the ideology of the free enterprise system. Capitalism was at its peak. Most people were happy. Little did they know that the "LEADERS" were merely affording them a taste of luxury, only as a means of increasing initiative, and therefore production. Once a saturation point between the advancements in technology and the maximum levels of productivity had been reached, things started to change. The masses of workers saw less and less of the good life that they had become - accustomed to. Things got difficult and the expanded middle classes of the bygone era, dwindled into the abyss of the turning century.

THE STORY....

THE REALIZATIONBack in the epoch of the late part of the twentieth century, while people were still largely unaware of the conspired existence of the Democratic and Republican parties, the forefathers of our present majority movement, were forming the coalition that was to create the union that we now recognize as the "legitimate" Government of the American People.

The North American sector of the New World Order, which, ironically, is called the "Union of Soviet Americans" (U.S.A.), did not come about quickly or without resistance from the proletarians and the commonowners. It was not until the late 1990's when the vast numbers of oppressed people (who were improperly called the "Minority" although they were the largest part of the populous that made up the Nation that was then known as the United States of America), started to realize the extent to which they were being manipulated and exploited by their Government. Back then, most of the people had believed, since the American Revolution, that the leaders of the Nation were concerned with the idea of freedom, liberty, and opportunity for all. At first, it was easy for the rulers of the capitalist oppression - the "Elite". They deceived the low-class majority into thinking that they were going to be treated fairly. Nationalists were high on their belief in the American Way! And as the "Elitists" controlled the workers for over two-hundred years, they had set up an elaborate system of brainwashing that coerced the people into thinking they were functioning in a democracy. Most of the workers actually believed: that there was a sort of equal opportunity for advancement to a richer caliber of life; in the existence of a bicameral legislature; and, in a diverse political arena, where separate parties presented candidates for free elections. The people actually thought that they had a part in what went on in the country.

The system was set up in a way that cultivated an image of various advanced levels of class structure, of which were thought ascertainable by even the average man, through hard work and the painstaking efforts needed to gain the knowledge and skills of the high ranking social groups. And though not often expected, success was always possible.

We know now, of course, that the stratification structure was nothing more than a carefully equated diversion used to cause the workers to feel that there was a true incentive behind their labor efforts; that wealth and prosperity could be achieved through the sweat of hard labor, and the exhaustion of their inner selves. Seeking the "American dream", they gave earnestly and prostituted themselves towards individual goals of financial success, notability, and inevitably, a higher class ranking.

As the new technology of the twenty-first century advanced, so did the amount of profit that the Elitist Corporate Raiders could exploit from the workers. In the name of world peace and democracy, they gradually indoctrinated the people with the concept of an all-powerful centralized government. The term New World Order was tested on the people by respected high ranking officials, and the abridgment of long cherished Constitutional Rights was commonplace -- in line with the over preached need for domestic public safety. As the modern day Government came of age and gained their stronghold, little did the regular people know that statistics were being juggled and crime, drug abuse, and violence were being induced by the very sources that were fabricating a need to control them. Worldwide, many senseless wars were fought as the military perfected its weaponry. Here at home, with the birth of the "information highway", Government Agencies were formed to patrol domestic communications and high-tech surveillance techniques were sharpened. up to this point, throughout the country's growing stage, there still existed a large middle class population who, more or less, received adequate compensation for their labor. However, after technological advancement reached its saturation point, the need to create a worker incentive diminished and along with it, the hitherto existence of the middle class structure was gone. The hidden truth was that the only necessary separation of standards of living became those between the impecunious masses of workers, and the affluent "Elitists" who ran the nation. The fact was that given the advanced system of automation that was available, there was no longer a need for a "middle-man" in the work force. So, the lifestyles of the average citizens deteriorated; poverty was widespread and the need for health care was, as far as the Corporate Raiders were concerned, non-essential. As more and more control had to be relinquished to the Government, conditions worsened.

To appease the workers the shrewd Elitist Raiders had incorporated many convincing fallacies into the organization of "things". The biggest of these shams was the "Placebo Government", said to be. . . run by the people, and with the core of its legitimacy arising from the "free" election system. A multiple party campaign was designed to nominate candidates for office, by the "vote" or "choice" of the people. The idea that the workers were allowed, even encouraged, to vote for their choices of leaders (through the existence of political parties that reflected the aspirations of the masses), fostered a feeling of responsibility and importance among the people. They actually felt like they were in charge of the country; at least partially responsible for their own destiny. This charade of politics was played into the existence of a bicameral legislature where the House of Representatives and a Senate gave the illusion of a system of checks and balances, derived to assure the people an effective democracy. All this was, of course, a well staged performance which actually self perpetuated by making use of the idealism that working people were able to take part in the system, and sometimes even run for public office.

Quiet as it had been kept, and as real as the roles might have seemed, they were nothing more than the recitations of the scripts and acts of a big play. A performance that was solely created and directed by the handful of "Elitists" who were, from back stage, and out of the limelight of American politics, running the country.

Up until the shortest hours, just before the coup d'etat that seized outright control of the nation, we had thought that the Democratic and Republican Political Parties actually existed as real and diverse groups with separate platforms and ideas. Had it not taken us so long to realize that these parties were set up merely to create an illusion of political choice, we might have been able to handle things differently. Unfortunately though, it was not until too late, that we realized that this country's two main political churns, the Democratic and Republican Parties, were one and the same. They were created and controlled by a powerful governing group of capitalists who owned all the major sources of production. This group of America's most Corporate Raiders consisted of only a few hundred members, none of whom would have been recognized by any of the average working class people of the United States. They were a secret formation consisting of the world's most powerful. A dictatorship comprised of hidden faces whose interests were nothing other than personal prosperity and the ultimate power that comes from total control. They sought to maintain a position of international supremacy above all other interests; they were "gods" who ruled over all. Often, they would experiment with those subject to the system they had created. Sometimes intentionally causing shortages of food and resources, introducing crime and corruption, or even arranging wars and invasions. They amused themselves with the means to practice domination and display their absolute power. They were the masters and we were pawns to whatever satisfied their egos.

For years the troubled workers tried uselessly to elect an appropriate political candidate by supporting the Democratic Party, which was thought of as the Party which favored the Unions and blue collar workers' groups. As conditions worsened and their faith in the existing platform was lost, the people finally came to realize that it was only through the unity of their masses that they could climb from the depth of poverty and oppression levied upon them by the Elitist Faction. Only through a party formed from within their own origins could they rise to a level of equality. Thus, with nearly unanimous backing, the National Equality Party (NEP) was formed. The people who had been the "minorities" of the nineteen-hundreds had grown into the huge "majority" of the twenty-first century. With the great numbers of the masses now united into a common political coalition, in a democracy -- they could not fail.

Time passed, things got organized, and the NEPS chose a candidate for the coming presidential election. Support from the masses was overwhelming. The Elitists could not possibly run an effective campaign against the great number of followers that the newly formed "People's" Party, the NEPS, had attracted. Now, the common folks, the poor and oppressed, the exploited, those discriminated upon, were united together with the bond of class consciousness, waiting to cast a vote for their candidate. More so, they were ready to vote on behalf of their new party; a true majority choice! However, as the election drew near, it became frighteningly obvious to the fat-cat Elitists that their figurehead candidate could not possibly win. They were such a small minority against the now conscious masses who were united towards the common goal of electing a president from within the cross-section of their own roots. They wanted a fair and equal share of the profits; control over the means of production. They could never lose the election because unified towards the same goal, they overwhelmingly controlled the vote.

Shortly after the NEPS candidate had been chosen, the powerful Elitists announced, through their own official media, that the Presidential election was going to be canceled! When the news hit the streets, chaos broke out! The workers began demanding the right to a free election.

Opinions were clear that rebellion was immanent. Protests started and demonstrations were being staged everywhere. The Elitists well trained and equipped military sought to subdue the crowds who, in the streets of our Nation's Capitol as well as in the other major cities across the counrty, had started demonstrating for their rights. Almost as suddenly as the people's rallies had started -- the State soldiers moved in. Shots were fired into the crowds! Protesters were killed and artillery was deployed against the citizens of the United States.

The violent wrath of the leviathan dictators had finally shone its ugly face. The Raiders of the Elitist Oligarchy that had been secretly running the country for so long, descendants of those prominent for over two hundred years, had emerged from behind their cloak of ambiguity. But, it didn't really matter. America had never been free.

Tuesday, May 08, 2007

So this guy Barak shows up at the BBC with a detailed scenario including Osama, etc. basically while the attacks are still going on. Note also the video of the white plane (ostensibly headed toward the Pentagon) which was never broadcast again. Creepy stuff. (BIG thanks to Brother Bob!)

Sunday, May 06, 2007

Geo was kind enough to leave a comment on this blog, with a link to this video. I agree with many of his conclusions about "The Movement." (Caveat: are the plugs for Judy Wood's site (at 38:52) for real? Sorry, I can't quite bite on that nice juicy worm.)

Thursday, May 03, 2007

When the fuel tanker crashed and caused the SF Bay area bridge to melt like a Hershey Bar in the sun, the Neo-Con yakkers immediately used the incident to bash Rosie O'Donnell ("put down your turkey leg, Rosie!") and 9/11 Truth in general. "Experts" immediately came out to compare the bridge melt to the WTC demolitions, such as these eminences quoted in the Contra-Costa Times:

The extent of Mosqueda's fuel load was unclear Sunday. But at least 8,600 gallons of unleaded gasoline ignited in a continuous roar -- more fuel than burned inside the World Trade Center towers on Sept. 11, 2001 -- and turned the 20-foot space between I-880, where Mosqueda crashed into a guard rail, and the I-580 overhead into an oven that roasted the exposed steel girders to more than 2,000 degrees.

At 1,000 degrees Fahrenheit, steel in girders and bolts goes soft, said Astaneh-Asl, who studied the collapse of World Trade Center towers for the National Science Foundation.

"When steel gets that warm, it loses its strength and cannot carry its load any more," he said. "It's not to say the steel melted. Some portions may have melted, but the steel got soft, like rubber."

Other experts say structural failure can come at even lower temperatures.

"The bottom line is this kind of thing can happen," said Forman Williams, a pre-eminent combustion expert at UC San Diego, who was tapped by the federal government to explain the World Trade Center collapse. "It is a rare event, but all of these are rare events, and the more of these you can protect against, the better off you are. ... You don't know until you do the study."

Even while Schnitt, Boortz, Ingraham, and other pro-administration propagandists sharpened their knives on this nugget, 9/11 Truthers were wide-awake and ready to counter their inane assault.

The Jones Boys (Alex and Steve) were vigilant in slapping down the Kool-Aid quaffers on Alex's April 30 broadcast. Download it HERE (longer segment, 16k) or HERE (32k). Indeed, where were the clouds indicating pyroclastic flow? Instead of lolling there suggestively like the Rolling Stones tongue logo, why didn't the bridge just go "poof" a la the WTC towers?

We're not talking about three buildings that were massively overbuilt to withstand anything but intentional demolition. Bridges are notoriously flimsy, are made of thin steel wrapped in concrete and asphalt, and manage to collapse and/or burn all the time. There's nothing truly analogous here. The WTC towers and WTC 7 did not "turn to rubber" and sag in high-heat fires. They were intentionally and demonstrably blown up.

Tuesday, May 01, 2007

Having worked on structural steel buildings as a civil engineer in the era when the Twin Towers were designed and constructed, I found some disturbing discrepancies and omissions concerning their collapse on 9/11.

I was particularly interested in the two PBS documentaries that explained the prevailing theories as determined by two government agencies, FEMA and NIST (National Institute of Science and Technology). The first (2002) PBS documentary, Why the Towers Fell, discussed how the floor truss connectors failed and caused a “progressive pancake collapse.”

The subsequent 2006 repackaged documentary Building on Ground Zero explained that the connectors held, but that the columns failed, which is also unlikely. Without mentioning the word “concrete,” the latter documentary compared the three-second collapse of the concrete Oklahoma City Murrah Federal Building with that of the Twin Towers that were of structural steel. The collapse of a concrete-framed building cannot be compared with that of a structural steel-framed building.

Since neither documentary addressed many of the pertinent facts, I took the time to review available material, combine it with scientific and historic facts, and submit the following two theories for consideration.

The prevailing theory

The prevailing theory for the collapse of the 110-story, award-winning Twin Towers is that when jetliners flew into the 95th and 80th floors of the North and South Towers respectively, they severed several of each building’s columns and weakened other columns with the burning of jet fuel/kerosene (and office combustibles).

However, unlike concrete buildings, structural steel buildings redistribute the stress when several columns are removed and the undamaged structural framework acts as a truss network to bridge over the missing columns.

After the 1993 car bomb explosion destroyed columns in the North Tower, John Skilling, the head structural engineer for the Twin Towers, was asked about an airplane strike. He explained that the Twin Towers were originally designed to withstand the impact of a Boeing 707 (similar in size to the Boeing 767). He went on to say that there would be a horrendous fire from the jet fuel, but “the building structure would still be there.”

The 10,000 gallons of jet fuel (half capacity) in each jetliner did cause horrendous fires over several floors, but it would not cause the steel members to melt or even lose sufficient strength to cause a collapse. This is because the short-duration jet fuel fires and office combustible fires cannot create (or transmit to the steel) temperatures hot enough. If a structural steel building could collapse because of fire, it would do so slowly as the various steel members gradually relinquished their structural strength. However, in the 100-year history of structural-steel framed buildings, there is no evidence of any structural steel framed building having collapsed because of fire.

Let’s assume the unlikelihood that these fires could weaken all of the columns to the same degree of heat intensity and thus remove their structural strength equally over the entire floor, or floors, in order to cause the top 30-floor building segment (South Tower WTC #2) to drop vertically and evenly onto the supporting 79th floor. The 30 floors from above would then combine with the 79th floor and fall onto the next level down (78th floor) crushing its columns evenly and so on down into the seven levels below the street level.

The interesting fact is that each of these 110-story Twin Towers fell upon itself in about ten seconds at nearly free-fall speed. This violates Newton’s Law of Conservation of Momentum that would require that as the stationary inertia of each floor is overcome by being hit, the mass (weight) increases and the free-fall speed decreases.

Even if Newton’s Law is ignored, the prevailing theory would have us believe that each of the Twin Towers inexplicably collapsed upon itself crushing all 287 massive columns on each floor while maintaining a free-fall speed as if the 100,000, or more, tons of supporting structural-steel framework underneath didn’t exist.

The politically unthinkable theory

Controlled demolition is so politically unthinkable that the media not only demeans the messenger but also ridicules and “debunks” the message rather than provide investigative reporting. Curiously, it took 441 days for the president’s 9/11 Commission to start an “investigation” into a tragedy where more than 2,500 WTC lives were taken. The Commission’s investigation also didn’t include the possibility of controlled-demolition, nor did it include an investigation into the “unusual and unprecedented” manner in which WTC Building #7 collapsed.

The media has basically kept the collapse of WTC Building #7 hidden from public view. However, instead of the Twin Towers, let’s consider this building now. Building #7 was a 47-story structural steel World Trade Center Building that also collapsed onto itself at free-fall speed on 9/11. This structural steel building was not hit by a jetliner, and collapsed seven hours after the Twin Towers collapsed and five hours after the firemen had been ordered to vacate the building and a collapse safety zone had been cordoned off. Both of the landmark buildings on either side received relatively little structural damage and both continue in use today.

Contrary to the sudden collapse of the Twin Towers and Building #7, the four other smaller World Trade Center buildings #3, #4, #5, and #6, which were severely damaged and engulfed in flames on 9/11, still remained standing. There were no reports of multiple explosions. The buildings had no pools of molten metal (a byproduct of explosives) at the base of their elevator shafts. They created no huge caustic concrete/cement and asbestos dust clouds (only explosives will pulverize concrete into a fine dust cloud), and they propelled no heavy steel beams horizontally for three hundred feet or more.

The collapse of WTC building #7, which housed the offices of the CIA, the Secret Service, and the Department of Defense, among others, was omitted from the government’s 9/11 Commission Report, and its collapse has yet to be investigated.Perhaps it is time for these and other unanswered questions surrounding 9/11 to be thoroughly investigated. Let’s start by contacting our congressional delegation.

William Rice, P.E., is a registered professional civil engineer who worked on structural steel (and concrete) buildings in Boston, New York, and Philadelphia. He was also a professor at Vermont Technical College where he taught engineering materials, structures lab, and other building related courses.